Apple Music briefly mutes every 10 seconds in iMac USB audio and HomePod mini
I have:
Ventura 13.7.2 (22H313) on a 2017 iMac 27" (the latest OS possible given my old hardware).
Apple Music (1.3.6.14) (but no Apple Music subscription; files playing are my local drive aiff CD files).
In Apple Music, if I select AirPlay (upper right icon) on the iMac and simultaneously select any single HomePod Mini zone, the USB audio playing on the iMac briefly (for half a second ish) mutes each and every 10 seconds.
Perhaps the iMac is trying to listen for one of the AirPlay zones to attempt to sync the audio timing throughout the house between the iMac USB and any AirPlay zone? This suggests maybe I should turn up the volume everywhere to make it easier to hear the zones so they can sync. Will give this a try.
Maybe related: Sometimes - especially when playing music in multiple zone in this way, over an hour or more, the sync gets off such that standing between the iMac zone and an AirPlay zone, there is a considerable and noticeable echo or slapback between the two zones. Ugly (but sometimes funky ; ).
Ideas? Thanks in advance!
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
HomePod mini, 18